A Republican lawmaker is pushing to eliminate the federal Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program entirely, escalating an ongoing debate within Congress over immigration policy and humanitarian protections.
Andrew Clyde, a Republican from Georgia, has introduced the Territorial Protection and Sovereignty Act, legislation that would repeal TPS and terminate all current designations. If enacted, the proposal would require individuals currently protected under the program to leave the United States within 60 days or face potential deportation.
The effort follows a recent split within the Republican Party. Ten GOP lawmakers, including Maria Salazar and Mike Lawler, joined Democrats in supporting a resolution led by Ayanna Pressley to extend protections for Haitian migrants.
TPS is a federal program administered by the Department of Homeland Security that allows nationals of designated countries experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions to live and work legally in the United States on a temporary basis.
Clyde has argued that the program has strayed far from its original purpose. In remarks accompanying the legislation, he said TPS has effectively become a long-term or permanent arrangement rather than a short-term humanitarian measure, calling for Congress to close this amnesty loophole by ending the program altogether.
Haiti has been at the forefront of debate over TPS. The designation was first granted in 2010 following the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake, which caused widespread destruction and displacement. Since then, protections for Haitian nationals have been extended and redesignated multiple times by successive administrations.
Under the Biden Administration, TPS for Haiti was expanded and extended again, most recently through February 2026. Earlier efforts by the Trump Administration to terminate the designation were blocked in federal court, with litigation continuing.
The debate over TPS has intensified in recent weeks, particularly as lawmakers weigh broader immigration reforms. Some Republicans have also revisited proposals such as the DIGNIDAD Act, a sweeping immigration bill that would create legal pathways for large numbers of illegal immigrants.
Clyde and his allies contend that immigration policies like TPS prioritize non-citizens over Americans, are often abused and should be eliminated in favor of stricter enforcement. At the same time, supporters of TPS extensions argue the program provides critical humanitarian relief and economic stability for individuals unable to safely return to their home countries.
The Supreme Court of the United States is scheduled to hear arguments in related cases that could influence the future of deportation protections and executive authority over immigration programs.
For now, TPS protections remain in place for eligible Haitian nationals and others covered under the program. However, Clyde’s proposal signals a growing push among some lawmakers to fundamentally reshape — or eliminate — one of the country’s longstanding immigration policies.
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